3  Catalogue  of  ¥ 

JBCti  Cjriubttum  of 
Japanese  3*>rtnts 


JSCt  ttie  (gfrolwr  Club 


(STttjentp.'nine  <f£a js't  (Cfcirtp-  £econb  &t.,  1&. 

jgCprtl,  1896 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2018  with  funding  from 
Getty  Research  Institute 


https://archive.org/details/catalogueofexhib00unse_3 


i  Catalogue  of  I 

^H!n6(y|)tbtttOtt  of 

Japanese  Prints 


tty  ^roller  0lub 

(Ctoent?-'nme  €a$t  (Ctuwp-jtfeetint)  St.,  #.  g. 

J£prtl,  1806 


NOTE. 


HE  first  exhibition  of  Japanese 
prints  was  held  at  the  rooms  of  the 
Grolier  Club,  No.  64  Madison  Ave¬ 
nue,  in  the  month  of  April,  1889, 
seven  years  ago,  when  it  was  at¬ 
tempted,  I  believe,  for  the  first  time 
in  this  city,  to  show  something  of  the  history  and 
development  of  the  art  of  colored  printing  from 
wood-blocks  in  Japan. 

The  interest  in  Japanese  colored  prints  since 
that  time  has  been  steadily  increasing,  and  there 
are  several  collectors  who  devote  a  share  of  their 
attention  to  this  branch  of  Japanese  art. 

The  object  of  the  present  exhibition  is  to  bring 
together  a  few  notable  examples  of  twelve  mas¬ 
ters  of  the  Ukiyoye  school  whose  designs  are 
handed  down  to  us  in  prints. 

It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  Iwasa  Mata- 
hei,  the  acknowledged  originator  of  the  Ukiyoye, 
or  the  popular  pictures,  is  not  represented  in  this 
exhibition,  owing  to  the  impossibility  of  securing 
an  example  of  his  works  in  prints. 

Moronobu,  of  Hishikawa  family,  was  the  first 
Ukiyoye  painter  to  introduce  the  artistic  book 
illustrations ;  and  it  is  to  him  perhaps  more  than 
others  that  the  art  of  wood-engraving  came  to 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  fine  arts  in  Japan.  He 
was  originally  a  designer  for  dyed  robes  and  em- 


4 


NOTE. 


broideries,  and  formed  his  style  after  Matahei, 
whom  he  admired  greatly,  when  he  began  to  draw 
for  wood-engraving. 

Masanobu,  of  Okumura  family,  a  close  follower 
of  both  Moronobu  and  Kiyonobu,  of  Torii  fam¬ 
ily,  was  the  originator  of  Beniye  (Beni  —  “Ex¬ 
tract  of  Carthamus  ”),  pale  rose  color,  and  also 
of  the  Ukiye,  a  name  given  to  the  prints  which 
were  printed  with  special  effort  to  give  a  great 
perspective  distance.  His  portrait  of  the  popu¬ 
lar  story-teller  Tukai  Shidoken,  who  had  his  stand 
on  a  platform  within  the  temple  ground  of  Asa- 
kusa,is  one  of  the  most  notable  examples  of  his 
works.  His  designs  are  mostly  printed  in  three 
colors — namely,  black,  pale  green,  and  pale  rose. 
The  Urushiye,  or  lacquered  prints,  were  also  in¬ 
troduced  during  his  time. 

Harunobu,  of  Suzuki  family,  a  pupil  of  Shi- 
genaga,  was  distinguished  as  the  originator  of  the 
Adsumaye  or  Nishikiye,  which  were  printed  from 
five  or  six  blocks.  He  was  a  strong,  proud 
artist,  and  he  never  painted  portraits  of  actors, 
considering  it  as  beneath  the  dignity  of  his  art. 
Among  his  most  popular  examples  are  the  por¬ 
traits  of  Onami  and  Ohatsu,  two  beautiful  girls 
who  danced  on  a  festal  occasion  in  the  sixth  year 
of  Meiwa  at  the  temple  of  Benten  of  Yushima, 
of  Osen  of  Yanaka  tea  house,  and  of  Osuji  of 
Asakusai.  His  pupil  Shiba  Kokan,  who  was 
known  as  Harunobu  the  second,  was  the  first  to 
introduce  copper  engraving  into  japan.  He  also 
painted  in  oil,  which  he  learned  to  use  from  a 
Dutch  painter  at  Nagasaki. 

Koriusai,  of  Isoda  family,  also  a  pupil  of 
Shigenaga,  and  a  great  admirer  of  Harunobu, 
was  a  noted  artist  of  his  time. 


NOTE. 


5 


Shunsho,  of  Katsukawa  family,  is  considered 
by  many  to  be  the  most  successful  depictor  of 
actors  in  costume,  and  his  narrow  single  sheet 
portraits  of  actors  have  been  much  admired  by 
native  connoisseurs  for  the  lifelike  drawing  and 
harmony  of  coloring.  He  made  his  reputation 
by  his  portraits  of  five  actors  in  the  characters  of 
the  five  gay  sports. 

Kiyonaga,  of  Torii  family,  was  undoubtedly 
the  greatest  artist  of  that  famous  family,  and  he 
is  considered  by  some  as  the  greatest  among  the 
designers  for  colored  prints.  The  examples  of 
his  works  are  notable  for  the  purity  of  tones  and 
the  graceful  lines  of  drawing.  He  devoted  his 
personal  attention  to  the  engraving  and  printing 
of  his  designs,  and  he  succeeded  in  printing  the 
transparent  effect  of  robes  and  in  producing  the 
delicate  shadings  in  the  coloring  of  dresses. 

Shuncho  Koyekawa,  perhaps  a  pupil  of  Shun¬ 
sho,  and  a  close  imitator  of  Kiyonaga,  was  a 
designer  of  colored  prints,  and  his  works  are  grace¬ 
ful  in  drawing. 

Yeishi  Hosoda,  a  pupil  of  Kano  Yeisen,  and 
afterward  of  Riubunsai,  made  designs  for  color 
prints  after  the  Torii  style,  and  also  after  Uta¬ 
maro  and  Hokusai  style.  The  colored  prints  of 
beauties  and  geishas  were  very  popular  in  his 
day. 

Utamaro,  of  Kitagawa  family,  a  pupil  of  Tori- 
yama  Sekiyen,  was  the  most  popular  and  greatest 
designer  of  colored  prints  of  his  time.  He  also, 
like  the  great  Harunobu,  never  painted  a  portrait 
of  actors,  saying  it  was  beneath  his  art.  He  was 
a  man  of  strong  character  and  of  independent 
thought.  He  was  severely  reprimanded  by  the 
Shogun’s  government  for  his  suggestive  illustra- 


IA 


6 


NOTE. 


tion  of  the  history  of  the  famous  Taiko,  and  he 
was  put  into  prison  for  another  offence.  Among 
his  famous  prints,  his  caricature  of  the  play  of 
Ohan  Choyemon  is  perhaps  the  most  famous, 
and  the  book  of  his  pictures  of  birds,  printed  in 
colors  and  with  embossing,  is  the  most  striking 
example  of  his  works. 

Toyokuni  Utagawa,  a  pupil  of  Toyoharu,  was 
a  famous  designer  of  theatrical  pictures,  as  well 
as  book  illustrator.  Some  authorities  attribute 
to  him  the  introduction  of  the  colored  prints  in 
two  colors  —  purple  and  black.  He  was  espe¬ 
cially  noted  for  his  skill  in  depicting  actors’ 
portraits. 

Hokusai  Katsushika,  a  pupil  of  Shunsho,  was 
the  most  prolific  designer  of  colored  prints  and 
book  illustrations.  Among  the  most  noted  ex¬ 
amples  of  his  works,  a  set  of  five  sheets,  illustrat¬ 
ing  five  of  one  hundred  ghost  stories,  was  greatly 
admired.  His  Mangwa  was  highly  esteemed, 
and  his  landscapes  were  also  much  admired. 

After  many  years’  hard  work  he  established 
his  great  reputation,  and  he  was  honored  by  the 
Shogun’s  command  to  paint  in  his  presence. 

Hiroshige  Ichiriusai,  a  pupil  of  Toyohiro,  was 
one  of  the  most  noted  Ukiyoye  painters,  and 
his  landscapes  of  fifty-three  stations  of  the  To- 
kaido,  the  celebrated  places  of  the  Capital,  and  the 
hundred  views  of  Yedo,  were  popular  and  much 
sought  after  even  in  his  own  time.  h.  s. 


CATALOGUE. 


* 

HISHIKAWA  MORONOBU. 

1  Moronobu. 

Incident  of  an  historic  battle ;  black  and 
white. 

2  Moronobu. 

Domestic  scene  —  man  and  woman;  black 
and  white. 

3  Moronobu. 

Three  girls;  black  and  white. 

4  Moronobu. 

Girl  and  man ;  black  and  white. 

5  Moronobu. 

Lady  and  maid  in  library ;  black  and  white. 

OKUMTJRA  MASANOBU. 

6  Masanobu. 

Man  with  sacred  ox ;  black  ground  and  white 
lines. 

7  Masanobu. 

Young  lovers. 


8 


CATALOGUE  OF 


8  Masanobu. 

Girls  reading  manuscript. 

9  Masanobu. 

Girls  reading  manuscript, 
io  Masanobu. 

Girl  standing,  with  a  bamboo  stick, 
n  Masanobu. 

Young  girl  sitting  on  her  bed. 

12  Masanobu. 

Group  of  girls ;  uncut  triptych. 

13  Masanobu. 

Young  man  playing  a  flute. 

14  Masanobu. 

Woman  closely  draped. 

15  Masanobu. 

Group  of  women ;  triptych. 

SUZUKI  HARUNOBU. 

16  Harunobu. 

Goddess  with  mythical  elephant ; 
dated  1765. 

17  Harunobu. 

T wo  girls  reading  a  scroll. 

18  Harunobu. 

Girl  by  the  shore. 

19  Harunobu. 

Girl  ascending  stairs. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


9 


20  Harunobu. 

Boy  and  girl  playing  battledore  and  shut¬ 
tlecock. 

21  Harunobu. 

Girl  looking  out  at  the  moon. 

22  Harunobu. 

Young  woman  in  the  snow. 

23  Harunobu. 

Mother  and  child  reading. 

24  Harunobu. 

Young  girl  and  servant  walking  in  the  street. 

25  Harunobu. 

Figure  of  a  man. 

26  Harunobu. 

Two  girls  and  young  man  caught  in  shower. 

27  Harunobu. 

Group  on  a  veranda. 

28  Harunobu. 

The  cock-fight. 

29  Harunobu. 

Young  man  in  disguise  before  two  girls  at  a 
window. 

30  Harunobu. 

Boy  leading  musme  on  horseback. 

31  Harunobu. 

Girl  and  servant  adjusting  sandal. 

IB 


IO 


CATALOGUE  OF 


3 2  Harunobu. 

Woman  reading  a  scroll. 

33  Harunobu. 

Two  girls  peeping  by  a  fence. 

34  Harunobu. 

Two  divers  on  a  beach. 

35  Harunobu. 

Girl  playing  with  a  ball. 

36  Harunobu. 

Girl  bleaching  cloth. 

37  Harunobu. 

Mother  and  child  by  a  riverside. 

38  Harunobu. 

Two  girls  in  the  rain. 

39  Harunobu. 

Young  lovers  walking  in  the  snow. 

40  Harunobu. 

Two  girls  reading  and  smoking  on  a  balcony. 

ISODA  KORIUSAI. 

41  Koriusai. 

Girl  playing  tsuzumi  and  companion  play¬ 
ing  samisen . 

42  Koriusai. 

Woman  and  two  attendants. 

43  Koriusai. 

A  fancy  picture — three  figures. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


IX 


44  Koriusai. 

Group  of  five  girls. 

45  Koriusai. 

Standing  figure  with  sword. 

46  Koriusai. 

Woman  and  child. 


KATSUKAWA  SHUNSHO. 

47  Shunsho. 

Actor — male  figure  in  snow. 

48  Shunsho. 

Lady  standing. 

49  Shunsho. 

The  actor  Ichikawa  as  Hokaibo  (beggar 
priest). 

50  Shunsho. 

Two  actors  —  male  and  female. 

51  Shunsho. 

Actor  with  a  fan. 

52  Shunsho. 

Actor  with  lantern. 

53  Shunsho. 

Lovers  parting ;  two  prints. 

54  Shunsho. 

Two  actors. 


12 


CATALOGUE  OF 


TORII  KIYONAGA. 

55  Kiyonaga. 

Group  about  a  carrying  chair  —  river  and 
hillside  in  background;  black  and  white. 

56  Kiyonaga. 

Woman  with  attendants. 

57  Kiyonaga. 

Group,  one  with  samisen. 

58  Kiyonaga. 

Group  of  young  women. 

59  Kiyonaga. 

Two  ladies  and  maid  servant  with  box  and 
lantern  —  night  scene. 

60  Kiyonaga. 

Lady  in  street  costume,  with  two  attendants 
carrying  an  umbrella. 

61  Kiyonaga. 

Four  girls  with  pink  caps  at  temple  gate. 

62  Kiyonaga. 

Two  actors  in  foreground  with  chorus  be¬ 
hind. 

63  Kiyonaga. 

Lady  and  servant  walking  in  the  street. 

64  Kiyonaga. 

Boy  writing. 

65  Kiyonaga. 

Girl  on  balcony  watching  young  man. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


13 


66  Kiyonaga. 

Young  lovers  reading  a  letter. 

67  Kiyonaga. 

Court  lady  and  attendant. 

68  Kiyonaga. 

Family  walking  near  a  river. 

69  Kiyonaga. 

Lady,  two  girls,  and  a  boy. 

70  Kiyonaga. 

Three  ladies,  one  with  a  samisen. 

71  Kiyonaga. 

Three  women  and  a  man  walking  in  the 
fields. 

72  Kiyonaga. 

Two  ladies,  girl  and  boy,  and  attendant  with 
umbrella. 

73  Kiyonaga. 

Three  women,  and  man  carrying  a  child. 

74  Kiyonaga. 

Three  girls  on  a  balcony. 

75  Kiyonaga. 

Three  women  gathering  flowers  in  a  field. 

76  Kiyonaga. 

Four  women  coming  from  a  temple. 

77  Kiyonaga. 

Two  women  and  a  man  approaching  a 
temple  in  the  snow. 


14 


CATALOGUE  OF 


78  KlYONAGA. 

Groups  in  a  garden  ;  diptych. 

79  KlYONAGA. 

Youth  serenading  three  girls. 

80  KlYONAGA. 

Lady  and  two  attendants. 

81  KlYONAGA. 

F£te  of  the  cherry  blossoms;  triptych. 

KOYEEAWA  SHUNCHO. 

82  Shuncho. 

Girls  about  to  embark. 

83  Shuncho. 

Man  and  woman. 

84  Shuncho. 

Two  girls  under  an  umbrella. 

85  Shuncho. 

Three  women  near  a  temple. 

86  Shuncho. 

Three  women  and  two  girls. 

87  Shuncho. 

Women  gathering  flowers. 


HOSODA  YEISHI. 


88  Yeishi. 

Figures  at  a  booth  by  rice-fields. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


*5 


89  Yeishi. 

Three  girls  near  rice-fields. 

90  Yeishi. 

Woman  at  her  toilet. 

91  Yeishi. 

Two  girls,  one  holding  a  samisen. 

92  Yeishi. 

Three  women  and  two  girls  walking  under 
lanterns. 

93  Yeishi. 

Girl  reading  a  letter. 

94  Yeishi. 

Woman  trying  on  a  dress. 

95  Yeishi. 

Girl  making  tea. 

96  Yeishi. 

Three  graces  —  plum,  bamboo,  and  pine. 

97  Yeishi. 

Girl  writing  on  a  fan. 

98  Yeishi. 

Girl  sitting. 

99  Yeishi. 

Seven  girls  at  edge  of  a  stream ;  diptych. 

100  Yeishi. 

Girls  in  a  boat  and  on  the  shore;  triptych. 


i6 


CATALOGUE  OF 


KITAGAWA  UTAMARO. 

1 01  Utamaro. 

Woman  in  summer  costume. 

102  Utamaro. 

Kintoki  and  mother. 

103  Utamaro. 

Three  girls  in  fancy  dress. 

104  Utamaro. 

Mother  playing  with  child. 

105  Utamaro. 

Girl  with  samisen. 

106  Utamaro. 

Man  and  woman  under  an  umbrella. 

107  Utamaro. 

Girls  under  a  wistaria  arbor. 

108  Utamaro. 

Woman  and  child. 

109  Utamaro. 

Girl  with  umbrella  embarking, 
no  Utamaro. 

Mother  and  child  looking  into  basin  of 
water. 

in  Utamaro. 

Young  women  at  the  toilet. 

1 12  Utamaro. 

Girl  with  green  umbrella. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


*7 


1 13  Utamaro. 

Girl  holding  spray  of  flowers. 

1 14  Utamaro. 

Girl  and  man  lighting  lantern. 

1 15  Utamaro. 

Mother  and  child. 

1 16  Utamaro. 

Portrait  of  Toyo. 

1 17  Utamaro. 

Two  women  looking  at  a  picture  roll. 

1 18  Utamaro. 

Girl  with  a  book. 

1 19  Utamaro. 

Girl  reading  a  book. 

120  Utamaro. 

Festival  of  storks;  triptych. 

121  Utamaro. 

Women  on  a  bridge;  triptych. 

122  Utamaro. 

Girls  in  a  tea-house ;  triptych. 

123  Utamaro. 

Seven  goddesses,  with  Fuji  in  the  distance 
triptych. 

124  Utamaro. 

Wedding  procession;  triptych. 


i8 


CATALOGUE  OF 


UTAGAWA  TOYOKUNI. 

125  Toyokuni. 

Girl  in  rain  reading  a  love  letter. 

126  Toyokuni. 

Lady  carrying  sake  cup. 

127  Toyokuni. 

Girl  under  an  umbrella. 

128  Toyokuni. 

Man  on  bench,  four  girls  standing  by  him. 

129  Toyokuni. 

Actors  in  male  and  female  characters ;  two- 
sheet  picture. 

130  Toyokuni. 

Woman  seated  near  hibachi. 

131  Toyokuni. 

Women  and  child  at  a  bath-house ;  triptych. 

132  Toyokuni. 

Groups  of  women,  one  man  seated;  trip¬ 
tych. 

133  Toyokuni. 

Interior  scene ;  groups  of  women,  one  man 
standing;  triptych. 

134  Toyokuni. 

Groups  of  women,  one  alighting  from  a 
chair;  triptych. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


*9 


KATSUSHIKA  HOKUSAI. 

135  Hokusai. 

Mother  and  child. 

136  Hokusai. 

Three  ladies;  surimono j  lady  arranging 
flowers;  surimono. 

137  Hokusai. 

Landscape  with  mountains. 

138  Hokusai. 

Tea  house  at  Yoshida. 

139  Hokusai. 

Two  ladies  and  a  man  near  the  Uyeno 
temple  gate. 

140  Hokusai. 

The  Uyeno  temple  balcony,  with  five  girls. 

141  Hokusai. 

Two  women  in  pensive  mood. 

142  Hokusai. 

October,  one  of  the  twelve  months  series. 

143  Hokusai. 

November,  one  of  the  twelve  months  series. 

144  Hokusai. 

December,  one  of  the  twelve  months  series. 

145  Hokusai. 

Storks  and  pine. 

146  Hokusai. 

Rice  gatherers. 


20 


CATALOGUE  OF 


147  Hokusai. 

The  wave. 

148  Hokusai. 

Celebration  of  October  full  moon. 

149  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  beneath  Monnen 
bridge,  Fukagawa. 

150  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  bank  of  river  Tama 
in  Bushu. 

151  Hokusai. 

View  of  white  cap  of  Fuji-san;  thunder 
storm  below. 

152  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Tago-no-ura  on  the 
Tokaido. 

153  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Suruga  dai  Yedo. 

154  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Go-hiaku  Rakan 
Temple. 

155  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Tsukuda-jima. 

156  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Senju,  in  the  province 
of  Bushu. 

157  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Umezawa  in  Soshu. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


21 


158  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Hodogaya  on  the 
Tokaido. 

159  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Enoshima  in  Soshu. 

160  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Tago-no-ura. 

161  Hokusai. 

View  of  Fuji-san  from  Egiri  in  Sunshu. 

ICHIRYUSAI  HIROSHIGE. 

162  Hiroshige. 

Bird  and  pine. 

163  Hiroshige. 

Bird  and  flowers. 

164  Hiroshige. 

Man  on  raft  —  snow  scene. 

165  Hiroshige. 

Men  near  pavilion. 

166  Hiroshige. 

View  of  Shirasika  on  the  Tokaido. 

167  Hiroshige. 

Benten  Temple  at  Susaki. 

168  Hiroshige. 

Asakusa  Temple  in  snow. 

169  Hiroshige. 

Matsuchi  hill,  Yedo,  after  snowfall. 


22 


CATALOGUE  OF 


170  Hiroshige. 

Asuka  hill,  Yedo,  in  the  springtime. 

171  Hiroshige. 

Shirasika  on  the  Tokaido;  Daimio  proces¬ 
sion. 

172  Hiroshige. 

Sun  shower,  Fuji-san  in  the  distance. 

173  Hiroshige. 

Fishing  by  moonlight. 

174  Hiroshige. 

Island  house,  snow  scene. 

175  Hiroshige. 

Procession  crossing  bridge. 

176  Hiroshige. 

People  crossing  bridge  in  rain. 

177  Hiroshige. 

People  entering  temple,  snow  scene. 

178  Hiroshige. 

Street  scene,  moonlight. 

179  Hiroshige. 

Strolling  players,  moonlight. 

180  Hiroshige. 

Arashiyama  near  Kyoto. 

181  Hiroshige. 

Bird’s  eye  view. 

182  Hiroshige. 

Typhoon. 


JAPANESE  PRINTS. 


23 


The  prints  having  the  following  numbers  have 
been  kindly  lent  for  this  Exhibition  by  the  follow¬ 
ing  named  collectors  who  are  not  members  of 
the  Grolier  Club : 

Numbers  27,  28,  29,  106,  107,  108  — 

By  Mr.  Clarence  Buckingham,  of  Chicago. 

Numbers  7,  8,  9,  16,  17,  18,  20,  21,  22,  23,  55, 

56>  57’  58>  9°>  llI>  120 >  *37  — 

By  Mr.  Samuel  Coleman,  of  New  York. 

Numbers  30,  41,  49,  50,  59,  60,  89,  101,  148- 
161,  169-171  — 

By  Mr.  Frederick  W.  Gookin,  of  Chicago. 

Numbers  1,  n,  12,  13,  14,  24,  25,  42,  47,  48, 
61,  62,  82,  88  — 

By  Mr.  Charles  J.  Morse,  of  Chicago. 

Numbers  2,  3,  53,  63,  64,  83,  97,  98,  102,  103, 
104,  125,  126,  135,  136  — 

By  Mr.  T.  E.  Waggaman,  of  Washington. 

Numbers  4,  31,  52,  105,  172-182  — 

By  Mr.  J.  Alden  Weir,  of  New  York. 


i  23o 72. 


GETTY  RESEARCH  INSTITUTE 


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